decrease

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive) Of a quantity, to become smaller.
2. (transitive) To make (a quantity) smaller.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) An amount by which a quantity decreases or is decreased.
2. (countable, uncountable) A reduction in the number of stitches, usually accomplished by suspending the stitch to be decreased from another existing stitch or by knitting it together with another stitch. See Decrease (knitting).

Synonyms

diminish

reduce

lessen

decline

reduction

abate

fall

diminution

lower

drop

shrink

lessening

dwindle

wane

subside

abatement

go down

become less

ebb

abridge

weaken

decrement

ease

cut

shorten

decay

subtract

come down

recede

become smaller

lowering

curtail

deterioration

cut down

loss

slacken

discount

minify

dip

become small

abbreviate

drop-off

sink

taper

detract

diminishment

retrenchment

put down

cutback

scale down

Translations

diminuire

diminuer

disminuir

diminuzione

Abnahme

disminución

decrescere

Verringerung

vermindern

abnehmen

Verminderung

diminution

réduire

sich vermindern

réduction

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈkɹiːs/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: decresen

In summary

From Middle English decresen, alteration of discresen, from Anglo-Norman, Old French descreistre (French: décroître), from Latin decrescere.